Every 15 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured in a tractor-trailer accident in the United States. Trucking accidents involving big rigs occur about 500,000 times per year, because sharing the road with tractor-trailers is a daily occurrence for motorists.
Many factors could result in a tractor-trailer crash, such as:
- Faulty equipment
- Improper loading of cargo
- Shifting or falling loads
- Driver fatigue
For months or even years after a collision, your injuries can put limits on the life that you lived prior to the accident. This can cause frustration and anxiety about your future. It’s common to feel as though you have more questions than answers.
Some of these questions include:
- How can I pay my mounting medical bills?
- How can I financially support my family while I’m recovering?
- What happens with my job?
- Do I need a lawyer to help with this?
Allen & Allen understands that it can feel like your life has been shattered after such a traumatic event. It is our mission to help you put the pieces back together.
What should you do in the event of a tractor-trailer accident?
If you have been injured in a tractor-trailer crash through the negligence or recklessness of another driver, you may be entitled to monetary damages, per Virginia law. Some damages that qualify for reimbursement or compensation include:
- Past medical costs
- Future medical costs
- Pain, suffering, and inconvenience
- Lost wages
- Loss of economic opportunity
- Funeral expenses
- Grief
The majority of trucking insurance companies will contact you as early as the day following the crash. They aim to obtain a recorded statement about your injuries and the accident. As friendly as they may be over the phone, they ultimately work for the trucking companies to mitigate insurance payouts.
Giving a statement to their insurance company is likely not in your best interest. You are under no legal obligation to provide a statement, and if you do, it may be used against you during the settlement process.
Before you speak with any insurance company representatives, protect yourself. Contact a truck accident attorney at Allen & Allen for a free consultation before giving any statement. If it is determined that you have a case, our experienced attorneys can help you:
- Recover any damages that you are entitled to from the negligent trucker’s insurance company
- Pursue medical payments coverage, and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage from your personal insurance company
- Negotiate for a fair settlement
- Collect any evidence you may need to protect your claim
There are many nuances in trucking cases. They should be handled by attorneys with the experience that protects clients from the vast resources tractor-trailer companies have at their disposal.
To protect their interests, they will often deploy their own investigators to a crash site immediately after the incident. They will photograph and document the scene in a way that helps build a case that the accident was not caused by their truck driver.
Tractor Trailer Resources
- https://www.allenandallen.com/sharing-the-road-with-tractor-trailers/
- https://www.allenandallen.com/a-truck-drivers-responsibility-in-hazardous-weather/
- https://www.allenandallen.com/tractor-trailer-drivers-and-alcohol-consumption/
Why Choose Allen & Allen in Charlottesville?
The attorneys at Allen & Allen have more than 600 years of combined experience. Through our 111-year history, it’s been our mission to protect the injured, which has included complex tractor-trailer cases.
We are the only personal injury firm that features an in-house team of investigators and medical consultants. They will research your case and secure the facts, to best prepare for your case.
We will treat you with dignity. We offer free consultations to answer any questions and provide a fair assessment of your case. As with every case, we keep the details of your trucking accident confidential.
Charlottesville Charities We Partner With
- All Blessings Flow sterilizes, repairs, and redistributes medical equipment. These are offered free of charge to people in need living in Charlottesville, Albemarle, and surrounding counties. These former Hometown Heroes received a donation via Allen & Allen Cares: Helping Our Heroes.
- Hometown Heroes: Allen & Allen receives nominations and votes for people (in Charlottesville and beyond) that make Virginia a better place to live, work and play.
- Legal Food Frenzy: The Charlottesville office, as well as our other locations, raises money and collects non-perishables for local food banks.
- George E. Allen Academic Scholarship: The firm accepts nominations (via essays) for high school seniors who have overcome hardships. Winners from Charlottesville and other locations receive a college scholarship and are invited to a celebratory dinner thrown by Allen & Allen.
About our Charlottesville location
Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Charlottesville office of Allen & Allen is conveniently near the Martha Jefferson Hospital, University of Virginia Medical Center, and Augusta Medical Center.
We are located at Preston and 10th Avenue in Charlottesville, less than three miles from I-64. Free parking is available on the left side of the building.
Our Charlottesville Attorneys
Working with a local Charlottesville lawyer is ideal, as you will want to meet in person. With seven locations, there’s an Allen & Allen law firm close to where you live or work, making it easier for you and your loved ones.
Office Locations for Tractor-Trailer Cases
Other Practice Areas in our Charlottesville office
- Aviation Accidents
- Boating Accidents
- Bus Accidents
- Camp Lejeune Water Contamination
- Car Accidents
- Catastrophic Injuries
- Dog Bites
- Foodborne Illness
- Impaired Driving
- Medical Malpractice
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability
- Toxic Exposure
- Tractor-Trailer Accidents
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Workers’ Compensation
- Wrongful Death
- 3M Defective Earplugs